Happy Birthday, Astrid!

Indeed, it's pup Astrid's birthday! I can't believe I have a 12-year-old. Amongst my bouts of anxiety related to that fact, I feel so incredibly grateful to be able to spend so many years with this sweet, silly, ornery pup.

Don't worry, Astrid only had to pose for a few photos before enjoying a couple of her birthday cookies this morning.

And she'll be getting to enjoy plenty more of those cookies throughout today. After all, it's her birthday, and she loves her a cookie.

Astrid, all of your humans and kitties love you so very much! We hope you have the best day ever!

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Before we go, we of course have for you the fill-in statements for tomorrow's Friendly Fill-Ins challenge. My amazing co-host Ellen of 15andmeowing came up with the first two, and I came up with the second two.

1. I hope to never taste _________ again.

2. No matter how hard I try, I can't _________.

3. _________ is a _________ that triggers nostalgia for me.

4. I wish I could visit the fictional world of _________.

We'll see you tomorrow, friends!

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Tip of the Day

Yesterday, as part of our National Cat Health Care Month series of tips, we mentioned the importance of providing your kitty with fresh, easily accessible water at all times. Similar to this, today we're here to remind you of the importance of ensuring that your kitty is fed fresh food on a regular basis, which I'm sure you all already know. Also as you all certainly already know, moist food can spoil if left out for too long. It won't go rancid right away, but if left out for long periods of time, there is a concern for spoilage and resultant gastrointestinal issues if eaten. For this reason, refrigerate any unused portions of moist food (which can be reheated for a short amount of time in the microwave), and do not leave moist food out in your kitty's bowls for too long. While far less likely, it is not impossible for dry food to spoil, not to mention the possibility of it becoming stale, or even ants helping themselves to food that is sitting out. So, try to ensure that uneaten old food is not left at the bottom of a bowl for too long. Also try to make sure that your kitty's dry food is stored in some form of an air-tight container, or at least that the bag is securely sealed.

Continuing on with the importance of fresh food, many cats are indeed picky eaters, which means it is quite possible that some kitties may not eat food that has been sitting out for a certain amount of time. In addition to this, as some cats age, their senses, including smell, start to diminish. Similarly, cats with certain ailments might need food with a fresh, strong odor in order to feel tempted to eat. This is another reason to offer food that is fresh and therefore enticing, so that the kitty will indeed have a desire to eat it.

All of this being said, also keep in mind your individual cat's weight, diet, and overall health. It is of course important to ensure that your kitty has sufficient access to food. Food allowance or scheduling will be different for an underweight cat versus an overweight cat, so all such considerations have to be made. If you have any concerns regarding your cat's food situation, of course discuss this with a veterinarian.